Health Canada finally made their announcement.

[c-ray]

from http://www.mapleridgenews.com/opinion/184344411.html

News Views: A few bad seeds

Maple Ridge News
December 20, 2012

The federal government is bent on pushing medical marijuana grow operations out of residential homes.

Crime and safety – home invasions, faulty wiring and mould – are the main reasons, and the plan has the backing of fire chiefs in B.C.

An apartment fire in Maple Ridge on Dec. 13, which left dozens of people homeless, illustrates their concerns, as investigators found three grow ops on the second floor, where the fire started, and which they believe was electrical in origin.

But Health Canada has said that the proposed legislation, which would regulate medical marijuana grow ops and push them to industrial or agricultural areas, where they would be subject to inspections, will drive up the purchase price.

Would that not fuel illegal grows and trade, similar to what occurs now?

Wouldn't that nullify any changes to eliminate safety risks?

Part of the plan is to let Health Canada medical possession and grow licenses expire in 2014.

They will, in future, be more difficult to acquire, which is good, as some seem to have fallen into hands that can't resist growing more than their licenses permit, and selling to people other than those who need it for medicinal purposes.

What if, under the new regulations, some who do need it for that reason can't afford to buy from newly licensed growers?

Who benefits then?

The federal government's plan seems only to serve those who can afford to establish commercial grow op businesses, and put those who subvert the process into prison.

Why not regulate, license and disclose small grows in homes, window-sill-type operations for personal, medicinal use?

Why not follow Washington and Colorado, and just legalize recreational use?

Clearly there is much money to be made in marijuana, and in Canada, we're wasting way too much money and time trying to curb what is beyond the control of our authorities.

Taking away patients' personal production licences is akin to punishing all because of a few bad seeds.

 

[c-ray]

from http://www.mykawartha.com/community/article/1556935--proposed-pot-law-changes-meet-resistance

By Joel Wiebe

Dec 21, 2012 - 7:02 AM

Proposed pot law changes meet resistance

Not everyone is happy with changes the federal government is making for medicinal marijuana use


(PETERBOROUGH) When it comes to medicinal marijuana, it's not just that it helped Vycki Fleming reduce her meds from 17 prescriptions to one.

Or that she's no longer being regularly hospitalized or even that it's the one medication she has found that allows her to live a relatively normal life.

She can grow it. And that means she can afford it.

The new regulations from the federal government, she explains through tears, would put an end to that.

The government claims the changes are in the best interests of people's health and safety.

The plan is to no longer allow people to grow marijuana in their homes, requiring people with marijuana prescriptions to buy their meds from an authorized producer.

The government is also aiming to reduce red tape by treating marijuana more like other medical narcotics by allowing doctors to sign a document similar to a prescription that can be use to buy the medication, rather than having annual licenses issued through Health Canada.

A press release states that the program has grown from less than 500 authorized users in 2002 to more than 26,000 today, resulting in unintended consequences for public health, safety and security by allowing people to produce it in their own homes.

In the press release, the president of the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs states one in 22 grow operations, legal or not, catch fire, which is 24 times higher than the average home.

The $5 per gram Health Canada charges for people to buy from it is heavily subsidized, claims the government.

The plan is to have the new laws in place by March 31, 2014.

The public is able to comment on the plans until Feb. 28, 2013.

Part of what angers Ms Fleming is that legal medicinal marijuana users are regularly lumped in with criminals. She's confident that legal users are taking extra precautions to make their home safe.

She spent more than $30,000 on equipment for a facility to grow her marijuana in and do it safely. Soon that investment will have been a waste unless the government compensates people for having to buy grow equipment.

There's no government subsidies available to cover the medication costs, which she figures will steer people back toward opioids.

When she was taking 17 different medications, she says it was costing $30,000 a year. She was also seeing seven specialists, but now there's just one.

"I no longer cost society $50,000 a year," she states.

She knows she'll be sick for the rest of her life, but says she wants to live life to the fullest.

While she encourages better access to medicinal marijuana, she's worried the changes will actually make it more difficult. She says many doctors are already hesitant to prescribe medicinal marijuana which must then be approved by Health Canada. If all the responsibility is put on doctors, she worries they will be even more hesitant.

"I really don't think anybody thought about this," she says.

There are also other issues. There is more than one kind of marijuana.

The type that's most effective for Ms Fleming takes longer to mature and has a lower yield than other types, so she doubts a profit-driven company would grow it.

Ms Fleming also grows hers organically and uses every part of the plant.

She says the government should be thrilled people are growing their medication since it isn't subsidized.

She knows the system needs changes, especially since licensed users often have to wait months after their annual licences expire before new ones are issued by Health Canada and Ms Fleming says there's still a lot of stigma around its use.

She's hoping the new rules will have some changes before being brought in, but she says there's already a class-action lawsuit against the federal government in the works.

 

[RubeGoldberg]

5 dollars a gram is heavily subsidized???? da-fuq???


looks like health canada needs to rent some houses and hire whitetrash biker wannabes to sit on them rather than grow in a mine then...

 

[c-ray]

from http://www.calgaryherald.com/health...al+marijuana+sparks+debate/7735139/story.html

Ottawa plan to commercially produce medical marijuana sparks debate

By Trevor Scott Howell, Calgary Herald December 21, 2012

Keith Fagin, a medical marijuana user and advocate for the drug, would like to see the federal government treat pot in the same way as beer and wine. “If I make a few bottles of beer or wine I can share with my friends. But I can also go to a mom and pop brewery or a winery, or I can go to the big corporate guys.”
Photograph by: Stuart Gradon , Calgary Herald


Licensed users, police and politicians are greeting proposed changes to the federal government’s problem-plagued medical marijuana program with a dose of skepticism and hope.

If approved, Health Canada’s Marijuana for Medical Purposes Regulations would create a “licensing scheme for the commercial production and distribution” of medical marijuana.

Under the new system, the federal department would no longer produce or distribute medical marijuana. Production would instead be done at commercially licensed facilities, stripping patients of the ability to grow their own marijuana. It would also put the onus on physicians to prescribe the still illegal narcotic.

Ward 13 Ald. Diane Colley-Urquhart, a registered nurse, said she fully supports the plan. “It’s absolutely an excellent public policy for the federal government to get out of the residential grows and move it into a commercial grow operation,” she said.

The city and federal governments will have to address “aftermath issues”, she added.

“We need a transitional plan,” she said. “We need to be careful about not putting patients at risk who are on this, because it’s a quality-of-life issue.”

That’s a huge concern for licensed medical marijuana user Sue Stevenson. Most days, the 53-year-old, who was diagnosed with a progressive form of MS eight years ago, can walk without physical assistance from her bedroom to her kitchen. But she needs several daily doses of marijuana.

“It’s not like Reefer Madness,” she said, referring to the now-laughable 1936 anti-marijuana propaganda film. “It’s about getting our medicine quietly. We just need to be OK and function.”

In the past, Stevenson relied on designated growers to supply her marijuana. She now grows her own medicinal marijuana at an undisclosed location outside of Calgary. “I would not grow it on my property, no way,” she said. “What if something blew up and I burned my neighbourhood down? Do you think I’d feel good about that?”

Law enforcement and fire departments have long sounded the alarm on the dangers of marijuana grow ops, legal and illegal. Inspecting legal grow ops is, at best, a cumbersome process.

The city currently deploys a safety response unit — which includes building, electrical, gas and plumbing inspectors — to investigate legal grow ops and determine whether safety codes are being met. But that’s only after officials have been tipped off on its location and a warrant has been issued. It’s not the most economical method, says Staff Sgt. Tom Hanson with Calgary’s drug unit.

“The most efficient way would be to have all the locations disclosed by Health Canada and to have some authority to go in and ensure that the grow is functioning within the safety codes act.”

Hanson says many of the licensed grow ops that have been inspected in Calgary are as dangerous as criminal operations. Electrical and water systems are bypassed. Chemicals are dumped in the sewer system. Growers often exceed the number of permitted plants.

“None of them are growing a couple of plants,” said Hanson. “Generally, individual permits from Health Canada is in the 49 plant range.”

If the proposed regulations go into effect (the current target is March 2014) medical pot users, many of whom use a specific strain or combination of strains to alleviate symptoms, would no longer be able to grow marijuana.

Instead, licensed commercial growers would produce medical marijuana under undetermined rules. That will increase the cost to patients from $1.80 to $5 per gram to $8.80 per gram, according to Health Canada.

Marijuana advocate Keith Fagin says the government should follow a “beer and wine” model.

“If I make a few bottles of beer or wine I can share with my friends,” said Fagin, who is licensed to use medical marijuana to treat chronic pain and arthritis. “But I can also go to a mom and pop brewery or a winery, or I can go to the big corporate guys.”

 

[vukman]

The outcry will only get stronger and stronger which I applaud fully!!!!!! I've lost count how many emails I've sent already! LOL..

There will be changes... there is just no way it will pass the way it is currently proposed...

 

[c-ray]

HC phones must be ringing off the hook

 

[c-ray]

from http://www.nanaimobulletin.com/news/184149981.html

Medicinal marijuana growers concerned over new pot regulations

By Niomi Pearson - Nanaimo News Bulletin
Published: December 22, 2012 12:00 PM

While Health Canada hopes proposed marijuana regulations criminalizing home production of the plant for medical purposes will nip issues like safety and abuse in the bud, the news has local licensed growers concerned the rules could make it harder for patients to afford the medicine they need.

On Dec. 16, Health Minister Leona Aglukkag announced that the government will no longer produce and distribute marijuana for medical purposes – instead delegating the task to licensed producers who meet strict security requirements. The current Marijuana Medical Access Program (MMAP), which has grown from 500 users to 26,000 in the last decade, will be axed in favour of Marijuana for Medical Purposes Regulations (MMPR).

Under the old program, participants are able to access medical marijuana through Health Canada at a heavily subsidized cost of $5 per gram, or become licensed to grow their prescribed allotment from home.

“The way the [current] system works essentially costs taxpayers millions of dollars each year,” said Stephane Shank, Health Canada spokesman. “The government’s concerned that the program is open to abuse and has led to some illicit activity, and due to that, while the courts have said that there must be reasonable access to marijuana for medical purposes, we believe this must be done in a controlled fashion in order to protect public safety.

"Essentially, the goal is to treat marijuana as much as possible like other narcotics used for medical purposes by creating conditions for a commercial industry that would be responsible for its production and distribution."

He added that the new regulations will address concerns with fire hazards that have been a consequence of allowing individuals to grow at home.

Under the new regulations, health-care practitioners will be able to sign a medical document similar to a prescription, and then patients can purchase the appropriate amount from an authorized vendor.

Shank said it will be up to the licensed producers to set the price.

“From that, there is the possibility of an increase,” he said.

The target date to fully implement the new system is March 31, 2014, at which point all authorizations to possess and licenses to produce under the old program will expire.

“It’s a sad day for Canadians,” said Bob Estes, a licensed medicinal marijuana user who operates Organic Matters Compassionate Access Centre in Nanaimo. “Most people can’t afford it and apparently the prices are going to double. I don’t know how I’m going to afford $600 a day.

“It’s going to mean that a lot of people are going to be without their medicine."

Estes, who uses approximately 60 grams of medical marijuana a day for a broken back, topically and through ingestion, says the safety issues regarding growing have been blown out of proportion.

“Christmas trees burn down more houses than grow-ops," he said.

Estes is concerned that medicinal users rights are being taken away and that criminalizing licensed users growing from home will force their activities underground.

“Terry Parker won the right in 1999 for us to grow our own medicine in the Supreme Court, and that’s why the system is in place now,” he said. “We’ve already won the right, to do this is double jeopardy, it’s brutal."

Pam Edgar says she has concerns about the quality of commercially produced marijuana.

“If I’m going to have to purchase my medicinal-use cannabis from a government regulated source, are they going to be able to provide me with what I need as opposed to me growing the strains that treat my symptoms?" she asked. “Are they going to be that educated? Are they going to grow more than one strain?”

Edgar, a licensed grower who has used medicinal marijuana for the past 20 years to treat MS and a nerve injury resulting from a motorcycle accident, said education is key when it comes to marijuana use.

She said the majority of people do not know that there are different strains of the plant that treat different symptoms. Choosing the wrong strain can have adverse affects on the body, which makes buying off the street a dangerous proposition. Among other benefits, growing from home allows the user the relief of knowing what they're putting into their bodies.

“For many people, growing is very therapeutic – like growing vegetables, growing fruit, growing flowers,” Edgar said. “And for anyone to have three cannabis plants mixed in with their tomatoes, lettuce and corn, the cost difference is huge."

Health Canada is encouraging Canadians to participate in the 75-day comment period, which ends Feb. 28, 2013. Until that time, those interested in becoming licensed producers can work with Health Canada to apply for authorization to conduct research and development activities with marijuana such as testing plant materials and growing conditions on-site.

 

[c-ray]

from http://www.mernagh.ca/stoney-eyed-health-canada-idealism/

Stoney Eyed Canadian Idealism
December 20, 2012 by Matt Mernagh

Don’t get too comfy with Harper’s MMPR because a new government could simply re-write a program in their image via Canada Gazette too. The only certainty Canadian medical marijuana users have is un-certainty.

Back in the day our Liberal government used Canada Gazette to introduce Canada and the world to Medical Marijuana Access Regulations. The Harper government did the same dirty trick by using Canada Gazette to create Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations. It feels like a terrible flashback is coming on.

We wanted a Liberal medical marihuana law, but instead the Liberal majority shied away from a House of Commons kerfuffle by sneaking regulations in Canada Gazette. It’s sneaky because as predicted in 2001 by politically astute activists a political play happened Sunday Dec. 15 2012 – the whole program could be changed on a whim or change of government.

Don’t get too comfy with Harper’s MMPR because a new government could simply re-write a program in their image via Canada Gazette too. The one constant for Canadians accessing medical marihuana will be change based on political stripes.

I was very excited about MMAR when it was first announced because the Minister of Health would no longer be signing an elusive Section 56 exemption. We were promised Canadian doctors would sign a form, but the Canadian Medical Association stated they wanted no part of med pot. This flashback is getting more intense as I write.

Just like the dazzle a newly unveiled MMAR had on me, the MMPR’s shine is catching many potheads glazed eyes. Unless you want to grow your own, then you know you’re getting screwed. The glimmer of remaining legal by becoming a prohibition profitter is very enticing. However, it doesn’t add up, this is the Harper government.

To become a private business operator in Harper’s medical marihuana world his Minister of Health is ultimate decider. The fed’s state,“Key personnel hold a valid security clearance, issued by the Minister of Health.”

Here’s your roadkill skunk stinker.

1. People working in nuclear facilities, low level RCMP officers, police officers, Canada border agents, just to name a few professions don’t require a minister signature.
2. Ministers come election season don’t want their signature on any document authorizing something that may have possible political blowback. In fact signing something other than holiday cards is very much frowned upon these days and even that is getting politicians in trouble.
3. Ministers didn’t do much signing for Section 56 exemptions and I don’t suspect they’ll suddenly be spending their Sunday afternoons signing security clearances for cannabis production sites.
4. Security clearance applications may sit on the minister of health’s desk buried under more important matters. An agreeable justice minister may have done this for Marc Emery.
5. One reason for MMAR was because of a deluge of requests on the minister’s signing hand. Though smaller business will be permitted in MMPR, how much attention will the minister give them – if any?
6. There’s a very vague reference about relevant police agency performing a background check. I’m hopeful the feds just mean RCMP and not CSIS too, but Health Canada states “these clearances would involve a global evaluation.” “Information received from a peace officer, a competent authority or the United Nations.” The response can be very simple, these agencies have adverse information or no adverse information.
7. Prevent a number two at all costs. It’s a big deal for a minister to sign off on something. Their signature is not an issue to be taken lightly because their political future may depend on it.

The Government of Canada treasury board security clearance form is an impressive application. It’s a common security clearance application used by Government of Canada public works department that Health Canada outlines in Canada Gazette. If you’re seeking security clearance be prepared to;

1. List all your immediate relatives including their places of employment.
2. Spouse, ex-spouse, education, military service
3. Canadians holding dual citizenship or born out of country have to prove a slew of extra information.
4. List all your addresses for pass 10 years, there should be no gaps.
5. List last 10 years of employment, there should be no gaps. Provide supervisors name and phone number.
6. List all your out of country travel (sans Mexico or USA) in last five years.
7. Three character references and one neighborhood reference.

Granted Health Canada has a security clearance appeal built in, but if the minister didn’t like an applicant politically they could just not sign. Preventing an appeal all together. Their response at appeal is RCMP or CSIS have adverse information. In an era of security certificates and secret evidence that’s all it would take.

I want to believe, as Fox Mulder lived by, but I also know, as he did, the truth is out there. Unless the Minister of Health takes a George W Bush like approach to signing security certificates for cannabis production sites it ain’t going to happen.

A federal medical marihuana law would’ve made Harper’s job of creating a program in his image much more challenging and most importantly given sick Canadians certainty.

 

[c-ray]

from http://www.mernagh.ca/nurses-and-docs-not-cops/

Nurses and Docs Not Cops
December 21, 2012 by Matt Mernagh

Minister of Health poses with cops not docs, patients and nurses for medical marihuana announcement. Presumably Harper’s Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulation meet with strict Conservative ideology.

Isn’t it strange Canada’s Minister of Health is photographed last Sunday Dec. 15 surrounded by high ranking police officers and firefighters to announce a new medical marihuana program. These are people who have devoted their life to proudly fighting marijuana prohibition and they were beaming behind MP Leona Aglukkaq.

This looks more like a Minister of Justice photo-op, not someone who is supposedly looking out for Canadians best health interests. Where were the doctors, nurses and patients who are the true beneficiaries of a government operating a functional medical marihuana system for the announcement.

Missing doctors, nurses, patients.

Even the location and timing is suspect. Far from major media outlets and on a slow work day. Media are fairly on the money folks when it comes to medical marihuana, but opposition MPs are tougher. I dare our Minister of Health to stand up in House of Commons to make a medical marihuana announcement, where Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition may properly scrutinize these new regulations.

This is a minister who refused to sign the Vienna Declaration on Drug Policy Reform because – despite scientific proof harm reduction works – the paper went against Conservative ideology. The more I think about the photo op – the more unnerving it is.

The photo is to reassure Harper supporters they have those medical marihuana people under their thumb too. It’s time to ask Conservative MPs if they support medical marihuana. No hemming and hawing. Pin them down into saying they want to strip away your personal production licenses to establish a private industry. Their proposed changes in Canada Gazette read oh so good, but the devil is in the details.

Stoney Eyed Health Canada Idealism Part II

Does the Harper government fix doctors as gatekeepers with Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations? Their announcement straight up says Harper government intends to maintain access.

The Canadian Medical Association won’t fully cooperate with Health Canada, but, like when MMAR was announced the health minister is promising publicly docs are involved. There appears to be no dialogue and despite R v Mernagh removing ‘doctors as gatekeepers’ docs remain in place in MMPR.

My case is not mentioned in Canada Gazette, but the feds have felt the cannabis champs sting. Health Canada proposes to remove federal hurdles preventing nurse practitioners from signing patient’s medical marihuana documents. We won’t know if this will work, but because the feds haven’t consulted with each provinces nurse practitioners association.

Don’t go cuing Eye Of The Tiger just yet because provincial legislation currently prevents nurse practitioner from prescribing med pot. The feds remove hurdles but coly admit in Canada Gazette each province needs to adjust their legislation too.

Ontario legislation prohibits marihuana prescribing and BC doesn’t list marihuana as a drug nurse practitioners may prescribe. Don’t go holding your inhale waiting for this either, Ontario legislated nurse practitioners in 1998 after 25 years of lobbying. Seven years later BC legislated them and nurse practitioners are attempting to convince BC government to let them be primary caregivers.

The feds are allowing each province to make the decision to open the doctor as gatekeeper with nurse practitioners.

 

[northernkush]

I am not against people growing their own medicine. I strongly believe they should be able to especially since it will help them save money and allow them to control their own supply. I am all for saving money and DIY!

However I don't really see the government changing their minds on this. I mean it's the government, even though they are consistently being proven as liars, cheaters and the corruption is only partially known.

These people who are supposed to be running this country FOR us only care about their own and whoever else is important to them's agendas and let me tell you. We are not important to them. 22,000 patients really mean nothing to them and thats why they're saying the amount of users will double(which means they will probably be less strict when handing them out) which will help them meet their end goal. More money for the rich which = more money coming in from taxes....

fuck the government. Just like these gangs except they have soldiers and cops to protect them and they don't even need to get their hands dirty

 

[c-ray]

got to hand it to the government.. it's a pretty devious plan they've concocted to bring all the growers out of hiding, register them, then make them redundant.. so basically they are killing the livelyhood of many, and the communities they support.. think of the billions flowing through communities that will not be there anymore.. and what will happen to the dispensaries, seed shops, vapor lounges, etc that are currently condoned? doubtful the government will allow them to persist when cannabis has been converted to the big tobacco/big pharma model.. are they really trying to snuff out our culture? how is this going to look in the media when the final battle of prohibition is upon us? are they going to say look we have legal pharma weed now so all you guys are now enemies of Canada.. they want everyone to think this is the end, when in reality it could be a very beautiful new beginning if we can just come together as a culture and find some creative solutions.. ultimately this could be the end of both the MMAR and MMPR, and beginning of true personal freedom if we play our cards right.. this could be what the Mayans were talking about..

 

[Green Supreme]

Damn, thought you had credibility, till ya said the Mayan thing. Peace GS

 

[bckindgrower]

Don't know if this is a stupid question but why the fock do they spell marijauna with a "h"? Is it a legal thing?

 

[RubeGoldberg]

Its from the original Spanish spelling of the word. TBH though it would sound better if they just said "cannabis" if they can't decide on wtf to call it.

The following video elaborates on the topic further
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwA9oU3pxsg

 

[Green Supreme]

They put the j in there to make it a Mexican thing. Peace GS

 

[chefboy6969]

unfortunatley ladies and gentleman this is the end of the little guys...and the start of the BIG PHARM and CORPORATIONS to take over..it's inevitable...but the government won't be able to keep the little guy down....You just won't be able to make a living off of growing because they will come down on you so hard...It's like if you made your own alcohol...yes ok if you consumed it yourself but as soon as you bottle it and sell it...BYE BYE..

IMO very soon you will hear of the gov't stopping the renewing of the license's and boy's you better have a company started, with a prime location and security set-up and back-up systems and proper as per code wirring and so on...If you are not 100% legit...FORGET IT

NO MORE LIL MEDICAL GROWS....

just my opinion

peace
Chefboy

 

[Green Supreme]

Gee I wonder where weed came from before the med program. So many folks only started cuz it was safe. Peace GS

 

[chefboy6969]

no exactly it will go on....just not legitimately...it will go underground again

and there will be even a bigger black market

peace
Chefboy

 

[chefboy6969]

What i mean is IT IS the end of the legal small grower...if you want to grow...it will be illegal again..soon...unless you are a registered company with a government contract...

Trust me i will still be doing my personal grows...just won't be greedy..Like most are..

peace
Chefboy


i also heard something to the effect that they are trying to trademark or copyright the genetics/strains...(like oxycodone or lorazepam) and the license will be strictly for that strain that you have a copyrights too...and only that strain

just an added opionion...haha good luck with that..trademarking strains i have in my closet...thats why i am seed whore...lol

 

[Green Supreme]

"i also heard something to the effect that they are trying to trademark or copyright the genetics/strains...(like oxycodone or lorazepam) and the license will be strictly for that strain that you have a copyrights too...and only that strain "

Medman has pretty much admitted to the same. Take it how ya like. Peace GS